Ink fountain interrupter for rotary printing machines



7 Sheets-Sheet 1 llllglgq a U y l. (I-

INVENTOR.

E. J. JANKE INK FOUNTAIN INTERRUPTER FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES April3, 1951 Filed Jan. 1'7, 1945 IIIIIII in I,

April 3, 1951 E. J. JANKE 2,547,470

INK FOUNTAIN INTERRUPTER FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 17,1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

W wjm, *Qm; MMME E. J. JANKE April 3, 1951 INK FOUNTAIN INTERRUPTER FORROTARY PRINTING MACHINES 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 17, 1945 INVENTOR.

April 3, 1951 E. J. JANKE 2,547,470

- INK FOUNTAIN INTERRUPTER FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 17,1945 .7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

E. J. JANKE April 3, 1951 INK FOUNTAIN INTERRUPTER FOR ROTARY PRINTINGMACHINES Filed Jan. 17, 1945 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENT OR.

April 3, 1951 E. J. JANKE 2,547,470

INK FOUNTAIN INTERRUPTER FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 17,1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 April 3, 1951 E. J. JANKE 2,

INK FOUNTAIN INTERRUPTER FOR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 17,1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 an office printing machine of the Patented Apr. 3,1951 25min INK FOUNTAIN IN TERRUPTER FQR ROTARY PRINTING MACHINES EdwardJ. Janke, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Addressograph-MultigraphCorporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a. corporation of Delaware ApplicationJanuary 17, 1945, Serial No.573,280

3 Claims. 1 The invention relates to a rotary printing machine operatingon the planographic principle. The general object of the invention is toprovide such a machine in a compact and efficient form which shall haveprovision for the rapid building up and continuous maintenance of theinked image and which shall effectively transfer the same to sheets fedto the machine.

More specifically, it is an object of the inven tion to provide for theinterruption of the passage of ink from the ink supply to the image whena sheet fails to pass between the platen and its coacting printingmember so that the image will not become unduly heavy for subsequentsheets.

Another object is to provide for adjustment of the printing pressurebetween the platen, against which the back of the sheet passes, and thecoacting printing member, to facilitate the use of the machine withsheets of various thicknesses, and at the. same time prevent offsettingof the image on the platen. This is effected by causing a separation ofsuch parts whenever a sheet fails to be fed during the cycle ofoperation of the machine, and thereafter restoring such, partsautomatically for the next cycle of operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a printing machine of theplanographic type in which the printing plate maybe quickly and easilyapplied to the machine and prepared for the printing operation.

My invention is particularly well adapted for offset type, and it is anobject of the invention to provide such a machine in a simple andcompact form which may be hand fed at one end thereof, under control ofsuitable timin mechanism, to cause the sheets to pass one at a timebetween the offset drum and platen to a suitable receiving tray.

My machine carries all of the different parts mounted on a framecomprising a pair of spaced upright plates which may be supported on asuitable stand, and such stand may house a' motor,

making the machine entirely self-contained.

The drawing illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention. Fig. 1 isa vertical section through the machine, the offset blanket beingillustrated merely in conventional form; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan ofthe machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation, with the coverremoved and certain parts omitted; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevationlooking in the same direction as Fig. 3, but taken just in front of theopposite frame 7 plate and being sectioned through the cover; Fig.

2 I 5 is a section, intermediately broken away, through the offset drumand platen on the offset plane indicated by the line 55 on Fig. 1; Fig.6 is a detail illustrating the support for the platen, being a verticalsection on the line 6-6 on Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of themechanism and linkage controlling the release of the platen whenever asheet fails to be fed, together with the means for automaticallyrestoring the platen to active position, and illustrates the parts inposition for detecting the presenceor absence of a work sheet; Fig. 8 isa view of the same parts at a later period in their cycle of operationand illustrates the platen in an idle or released position due to theabsence of a work sheet in the machine; Fig. 9 is a view taken at thesame period in the cycle of operation as Fig. 8, but with the platenactive due to the presence of a Work sheet in the machine; Fig. 10 is aside elevation of the latching mechanism for retaining the offset drumin coaction with the master drumand platen but allowing its immediateseparation from both of such members, this View showing the drums intheir separated or inactive positions; Fig. 11 is a viewof the sameparts with the latch in its other position and the drum in their coactinpositions; and Fig. 12 is a detail in Vertical cross section in front ofthe paper feed mechanism, showing the paper guide, the plane of thesection being indicated by the line l2l2 on Fig. 1.

In Figs. 2 and 5, I have shown two spaced vertical frame plates I 0 andII parallel with each other which together with bracing cross rodshereinafter mentioned, constitute the main frame of the machine. PlateIt also appears in Figs. 1 and 3 and the plate 5 I in Fig. 4. Ordinarilythese frame plates and the machine carried thereby rest on a suitablebase or stand indicated at E5 in Fig. 1. This stand may house a drivingmotor it connected by a belt H with a pulley l8 of the printing machine.

The printing machine includes a master sheet carrying drum 20, anofifset drum and a platen 49 all suitably mounted between the two platesi ll andi i. Between these plates also is an inking mechanism 58 adaptedto deliver ink to the master sheet 22 on the drum 2D, and a normallyact- ;ing ink repellent applying mechanism 60 acting on a region of themaster sheet in advance of theinkin mechanism- Also between the frameplates is mounted a special applicator mechanism 9B for initiallytreating the master sheet preliminary to the inking or printingoperation.

Between the frame plates in and H, I also .nut 49.

mount the control mechanism Hill for the manual paper feed and aprojecting paper support 86, and behind the platen I provide means forholding a removable receiving tray l2il. Various mechanisms hereinafterdescribed are mounted on the exterior of the two frame plates iii and iiand are shielded by side cover plates l2. Substantially all of the partsof the machine between the frame plates may be covered by a suitablecover which is removed when the machine is operated. Such removablecover is indicated at it as extending over the entire top of the machineand downwardly beyond each end thereof to regions a short distance abovethe paper support and the inking fountain.

The master drum Ell is provided with an axially extending recess 23 inwhich is mounted an attaching means, generally indicated at 2B, forattaching a printing plate to the drum. The attaching means shown issubstantially that shown in Patent No. 2,165,233 issued July 11, 1939 toAddressograph-Multigraph Corporation, as assignee of F. E. Curtis.

The master drum 22'; is rigidly mounted on a shaft 2I, the ends of whichare preferably journalled in eccentric bushings 26 mounted in the frameplates I0 and II, to allow accurate alignment. The offset drum 3% isrotatably mounted on an eccentric central portion of a shaft 3i which ismounted in the two frame plates in a manner capable of a partialrotation, by which the position of the offset blanket 33 is adjustedwith reference to both the master sheet and the platen as hereinafterdescribed.

The platen it is rotatably mounted on an eccentric intermediate portionof a shaft 4|, the axial end portions of which are mounted in bearingscarried by a yoke d2 pivoted to the plates ill andI I at 43 and springpressed upwardly by a pair of spring units 35 which act against thetransverse portion of the yoke distant from the pivot, as hereinaftermore fully explained. These spring units maintain proper yieldingpressure between the platen and the offset cylinder during the operationof the machine.

The. spring units 45 are identical in construction and are bothindicated in Fig. 2, and one is shown in detail in Figs. 1 and 5. Eachunit includes a spring 44 which bears at its lower end against a fixedcross bar it carried by the two frame plates I3 and l I. At their upperends each spring acts against an adjustable stop 4? on a screw $3, theupper end of which is anchored to the yoke and the lower end of whichpasses through the cross bar 46, and is provided with a These nutsprovide adjustable limits for the upward movement of the platen yoke.

The offset drum may be released from both the master drum and the platenby turning the eccentric shaft 3I on which the offset drum is mounted.This shaft is normally in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 11. Asillustrated in Fig. 11, a cam 34 is secured to the shaft 3i and a spring39 is connected between this cam and the frame plate ID to swing theshaft in a counterclockwise direction and thereby move the offset drumaway from both the platen and the master drum. Normally the swinging ofthe shaft is prevented by a latch 31 which is retained in engagementwith a tooth 35 on the cam by a spring 35.

The latch 3! has a suitable lateral extension 38 projecting through anopening in the cover on that side, so that whenever desired the latchmaybe withdrawn from the cam 3d by manual pressure against the extension38. This releases the cam 34 and permits the spring 39 to swing theoffset drum shaft and bring the offset drum to its inactive position,shown in Fig. 10. When it is desired to restore the offset drum to itsactive position, the operator grasps a handle or knob 3-2 which issecured to the shaft 3I, and turns the same in a clockwise directionuntil the cam 3 is reengaged by the latch 31. The knob or handle 32 isindicated in broken lines on Fig. 3, and its hub is shown at 32 in Fig.5.

I find it very desirable to bring the offset drum into coaction with themaster drum only at a time when the gap in the master drum is juxtaposedto the offset blanket because this avoids any blow or impact on theimage, which might tend to blur the reproduction. By starting thecoaction when the gap on the master drum is opposite the offset drum theimage is never submitted to other pressure than a rolling action.

To accomplish the result above noted I provide mechanism shown in Figs.10 and 11. It will be there seen that the cam 34 is provided with ashoulder E55 and pivoted to the frame plate I0 is a dog I56 normallyheld in the path of the shoulder by the spring 35. This spring, asheretofore stated, acts on the latch lever 31' and is anchored at oneend of that lever and at the other end to the dog I55 and tends to holdeach of these members against suitable stops secured to the frame plate.I mount on the lever '12 a pawl I51 normally held in the position shownin Fig. 10 by a spring 158, which tends to retain a pin I53 on the pawlagainst a portion of the lever 12.

The lever 12 is so timed with relation to the drums that it is swingingin a counterclockwise direction when the gap of the master drum ispassing the blanket drum. In the latter portion of this movement thepawl I5! acts on the dog I53 and swings the lower end thereof out of thepath of the shoulder 555, allowing the hand lever 32 to turn theeccentric shaft into the position shown in Fig. 11, before the gap haspassed the blanket, so that the blanket is in position to enage themaster sheet as the rotation continues and brings the master'sheet byrollin action into juxtaposition with the blanket.

In the operation of the machine, when the operator desires to cause theengagement of the master with the blanket he grasps the handle 32 andstarts to turn it in the clockwise direction. If the gap in the masterdrum happens to be opposite the blanket at this time the dog I56 willleave the cam 34 free to move into position shown in Fig. 11. However,usually some other portion of the master sheet will be opposite theblanket when the operator starts to turn the handle 32 and hence theshoulder I55 will engage the dog I56 and the turning will be stoppedbefore the blanket i contacting with the master. The operator thencontinues his manual pressure in the clockwise direction, against theaction of the spring 38, until the dog I55 is freed from the shoulder,whereupon the completion of the movement of the hand lever activelypositions the blanket ready to receive imprint of the image by rollingcontact.

On the back stroke of the lever I2 the pawl I51 clicks idly across theend of the dog I56, as allowed by the spring I58.

It will be noted that the arrangement is such that the pawl I51 willengage the dog I56 for a relatively short period of time, quickl slidingfrom the end of the dog and permitting the dog to swing into the activeposition shown in'Fig.

5. 10, before the gap in the drum has passed the point of contact of thetwo drums.

As shown, the inking mechanism 58 comprises a fountain 55 adapted tocontain ink, a fountain roller 52 therein, a swinging'ductor roller 53,a longitudinally reciprc'cable distributing roller and a form roller Thelatter coacts with the master sheet 22 on the drum 2% and with thedistributing roll 5 The ductor roll swings back and forth between thefountain roller and the distributing roll.

The form roll 55 may be manually separated from the master sheet 22 tofacilitate the initial application of ink repellent thereto, as well asto facilitate the subsitution of one master sheet for another. Asillustrated the form roll 55 is mounted between a pair of plates litpivoted to the respective frame plates it and ii and drawn by springs5'! toward the master sheet under the control of an adjustable stopscrew 58. A suitable cam rodfifl rotatively mounted in the frame platesis adapted to be turned by the operation of a hand lever (Figs. 2 and 3)to cam the plates 58 in a direction to separate the form roll from thedrum.

The normal ink repellent applicator mechanism which acts on the mastersheet during each revolution of the master drum, as illustrated in Fig.1, comprises a trough 65 adapted to contain a liquid ink repellent, afountain roll 62 immersed therein, a swinging ductor roll 63 and anabsorbent form roll '64. The form roll is mounted in a pair of pivotedend bars 65 which are drawn toward the master drum 28 by springs titunder the control of adjustable stop screws iii. The ductor roll 63oscillates between the fountain roll 62 and the form roll (i l todeliver repellent to the master sheet. V

The two ductor rolls 53 and 53, as well as the fountain rolls 52 and 52,for the ink and repellent respeciively are operated at the same time bya single cam 16 secured to the offset drum 3%,

which is driven by uitable gearing as hereinafter explained. This cam itacts against a roller ll (Fig. 3) on a lever 29 secured to a stub shaft73 journalled in the frame Iii. A second lever 12 is securedintermediate its ends to the stub shaft 53 and is connected by a link itwith a lever 15 pivoted about the axis of the ink fountain roll 52. Thisfountain roll carries on its end a ratchet wheel 76 which is acted on byapawl T1 pivotally mounted on the lever 75 and urged toward the ratchetby a spring '18. The lever l5 operates the ductor roll 53 in the mannerdescribed in Patent No. 2,165,235, issued July 11, 1939, toAddressograph-Multigraph Corporation, as assignee of F. E. Curtis.

The lever 72 also actuates the repellent ductor and fountain rolls. Theupper end of this lever is connected by the link 82 to a lever ii on theaxis of the repellent fountain roll 62. On the shaft of this fountainroll is a ratchet wheel 83 which is periodically advanced by a pawloperated b the lever 31. The lever '52 carries a cam 8t which acts onthe frame 53 of the repellent ductor roll 63 to shift it between therepellent fountain roll 62 and the repellent form roll 55, after themanner of the Curtis Patent 2,165,235.

In the present machine, I have provided above the inking mechanism aspecial applying mechanism 90, which may be operated to apply a treatingliquid in proper quantity and of the proper strength to the mastersheet. before the inking of the image thereon for initial operation ofthe machine. -This special. app-lying mechanism com-- 6 prises a trough9| shown as located above the inking mechanism and supported by the twoframe plates l0 and l I. In this trough is a block $2 of a liquidstorage material such as sponge rubber, The block extends the length ofthe trough and its lower portion extends into the liquid therein, whilethe upper portion reaches above the liquid, receiving capillaryattraction. Between the upper portion of the block 92 and the mastersheet, and normally out of contact with either of them, is an absorbentmember as carried on a bar 96 which is secured to pivotally mounted arms93. Suitable manual means may rock these arms. Fig. 1 indicates for thispurpose a hand lever 95 which may be a continuation of one of thesearms.

At the start of the operation of building up the image on the mastersheet, the upper end of the hand lever 95 is pressed toward the left inFig. 1, which presses the absorbent material 95 into engagement with thesponge rubber. This absorbent material, which is thus moistenedthroughout by. capillary action, extends around the bar 96 toward thedrum 26 that when it. is swung by movement of the lever 95 toward theright in Fig. 1, the absorbent material bears or rubs against the mastersheet on the rotating drum 2D and applies treating solution orpreliminary repellent thereto. By furnishing repellent of properstrength and composition to the trough 9| and manipulating the roller 94a few times between the sponge rubber reservoir and the master sheet,one can supply repellent of proper composition and sumcient strength tothe master sheet to make an effective preliminary treatment in a brieftime interval. If desired, this special repellent may be a concentratedform of such repellent as is applied normally on each cycle from thetrough El.

I have found that in building up the image, it is quite effective togive the master drum about two revolutions with the saturated absorbentmaterial 94 in contact therewith and while the offset blanket is heldout of contact with the master sheet, and before the ink is applied tothe master sheet. -Then I may rotate the master drum about fourrevolutions, retaining it still out of contact with the offset blanket,but with the ink form roll in contact with the master sheet to build upthe inked image on the master sheet without further application ofrepellent. Then by rotating the master drum about four more revolutions,with the ink and normal repellent mechanism 511 and 63 respectively inactive engagement with the master sheet, and with the offset blanket incontact with the master sheet, a proper inked image will be produced onthe offset blanket. These preliminary rotations of the master drum 20may be produced by power, by turning the motor switch off and on, or thedrums may be manually rotated by a hand wheel 21 on the shaft of themaster drum. The application of ink or repellent or both may be readilycontrolled by a hand lever 25 (Figs. 2 and 3) having four positions asshown in Patent No. 2,165,234 issued July 11, 1939 to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation as assignee of F. E. Curtis.

After the image has been properly built up on the blanket cylinder, andthe motor is running 'to drive the various parts, it is only necessaryto feed sheets to the bite of the blanket and platen drums to eifectprinting. The sheets to be printed are fed from a suitable tray 88carried by the its liquid supply by frame of the machine and projectingat the forward end thereof and adapted to carry a number of sheets withtheir edges fanned out so that they can be manually shoved one afteranother toward the printing machine.

To control the feed, I provide a lower feed roller 50 I, and a coastingupper roller 32. Each of these rollers is made in two longitudinallyspaced sections mounted on suitable shafts. Behind the line of contactof the two feed rollers is a stop finger I33 mounted on a pivoted barand counterweighted by a forwardly extending plate I05. The shaft of theupper feed roller I02 is journalled in a yoke frame I which is pivotedat I01 and carries a roller I00 which coacts with a cam I09 secured tothe offset drum (Figs. 1 and 5). This cam for the most part isconcentric as shown in Fig. l and by acting on the roller I08 maintainsthe upper feed roller out of contact with the lower feed roller andallows the counterweighted stop fingers to stand in the position shownin Fig. 1, thus preventing the shoving of the paper to printingposition.

The paper is shoved forwardly manually during the period of separationof the upper and lower feed rollers under a suitable downwardly inclinedguide us until it abuts the fingers Hi3. Now when the flattened portionof the cam I68- comes opposite the roller iSS this frees that roller andthe upper feed roller E02 descends by gravity into engagement, with thelower feed roller. At the same time, a pin iii depending from the frontportion of the pivoted yoke engages a lever IE2 on the bar I0 3 carryingthe stop fingers. This swings the stop fingers down to idle position,out of the path of the sheet.

The lowering of the upper feed roll not only removes the stop fingersfrom the path of the sheet but also because of the rotation of thelowerfeed roller, as will hereinafter be explained, causes the sheet to befed forward between suitable guides indicated at H4 and H6 in Fig. 1into the bite of the offset blanket and platen. For simplicity, I. havenot shown any gripper on the offset .drum for engaging the sheets.However, if desired 1 may employ a gripper, such as is shown in thePatent No. 2,165,331, issued July 11, 1939 to .Addressograph-MultigraphCorporation as assigness of F. E. Curtis. In that case the guides I I4and I it will preferably be of the form shown in that patent to allow achange in the direction of the sheet adjacent the forward end, enablingit to buckle as the forward end passes into the gripper so that it isnot injured by being shoved against a definitev stop on the gripper butwhen it reaches that stop excess of this movement is taken up inbuckling, as set out in that patent.

After passing through the bite of the offset blanket and platen theprinted sheet is delivered to a suitable tray for removal from themachine. I have indicated in Fig. i a tray l ZEi occupying the lowerportion of forward space between the frame plates, this tray resting ona suitable cross rod I2I of the frame and heldthereto by a downward hookI22. Wheneverdesired the tray may be simply lifted free from the rod anddrawn out with its contents at the far end of the machine.

The paper feed rolls are held separated while the master sheet is beingprepared for the print ingoperation. To accomplish this I prefer to usethe latch mechanism 34, 35, 3E, 31- which is used to separate the offsetand master drums during the period of pr paration. heretofore described.A roller E50 is mounted on the yoke 10!; which cm'ries the upperfeedroll I62. When Lin the offset drum shaft is in its idle position (Fig.10) this roller is engaged by the cam 34 in such manner as to swing theyoke to raise the upper feed roll I02.

The cam 30, it will be seen, performs three functions; it holds the feedrollers separate when the drums are idle; it prevents the positioning ofthe blanket drum except when the gap of the master drum is opposite it,and it retains the blanket drum in its active position when it has beenso placed until released by the actuation of the finger member 38 on thelatch 31.

Whenever during each cycle of operation, at the proper time for a sheetto be gripped between the feed rollers IOI and E62, a test is made forthe presence or absence of such sheet. If the sheet is present theoperation proceeds in the normal manner as described. If the sheet isabsent the platen shaft M is automatically turned to withdraw the platenfrom the offset blanket so that the image on the offset blanket is nottransferred to the platen surface. This operation will now be described.

A plate I30 is secured to a sleeve I24 which embraces the end of theplaten shaft II and which is drivingly connected to the shaft AI by apin I25 (Figs. 5 and 6). The plate I30 is provided with a tooth ISIwhich is normally engaged by a latch or a strut lever I32 pivoted at I33to the frame plate I0. To the lower end of the plate I30 is attached alink i35 drawn toward the right (Fig. 3) by a spring I36 anchored at itsleft hand end to the lever and at its right hand end to a pin IS? on theframe plate I0. This spring tends to swing the plate I30 and the platenshaft in a counter-clockwise direction which movement is normallyprevented by the latch or strut lever I32.

Pivotally carried by two frame plates I and ESI (Figs. 2 and 12) whichare secured to and lie adjacent respective frame plates I0 and II is arod I40 carrying a feeler finger I lI extending between two sections ofthe roller IOI and beneath the annular gap in the roller I02. Rigid onthe shaft I00 is a rocking lever I42 acted on by a spring I43 whichtends to turn the shaft M0 to raise the stop finger. An extension of thelever I42 is connected by a link I44 with the latch I32. The connectionas shown is yielding by reason of link I40 being slotted about a pin I45carried by the latch I32, this pin being connected by a spring I45 withthe link. The pin I45 is adjustably mounted in a slot in the latch I32and extending lengthwise thereof. ustment of the position. of this pinenables the normal position of the feeler finger I iI to be nicely set.

When during the cycle of operation a sheet should be gripped between thetwo feed rollers IOI and I02 but before the sheet should reach the biteof the platen and offset drums, the plate E30 is acted on by a suitablemechanism about to be described, so that it is given a very slight turnin a clockwise direction, relieving the pressure of the tooth I3I on thestrut lever or latch I32 as illustrated in Fig. '7. Thereupon the springI43 tends to swing the feeler finger I lI upwardly and will do so if nopaper is present, in which case the link I44 will withdraw the lever I32from the path of the tooth ISI, and the spring 35 will swing the plateI30 counterclockwise thus turning the eccentric platen shaft andlowering the platen to idle position, as shown in Fig. 8. In thisposition the platen is free from the. blanket, as the downward movement,

caused by the eccentric shaft is greater than the slight upward movementallowed to the platen by the stop nuts 43 on the screws and caused bythe springs 44.

However, if there is a sheet of paper between the two feed rollers atthe time the feeler finger tends to move upwardly, this sheet willbridge the gap across the two sections of the upper feed roller and thefinger cannot move up into the freeing position but will be held down bythe sheet of paper. This will retain the strut lever in the path of thelatch tooth IBi, with the result that when the means acting on the plateI relieves it so that it tends to turn in the counter-clockwisedirection it can only turn a very slight distance, that is back to itsnormal position shown in Fig. 3.

The means for turning the plate I38 to relieve the pressure on the latchor strut lever I32 .is shown as a pawl I438 on the lower end of thelever I2 heretofore described. This pawl is acted on by a spring i 59tending to maintain it in the position shown in Figs. 3, 3 and 9. Whenthe lever 12 is swung bythe cam Iii, heretofore referred to, in thedirection toward the right in Fig. 3, the pawl Hit bears downwardly on aroller I33 carried by the plate I38 while passing across it. Theconsequent movement of the plate I 36 is slight as indicated in Fig. 7.It is, however, suflicient to swing the tooth ital free from the strutlever, as shown in Fig. '7. This allows the feeler MI to test for thepresence or absence of paper.

Assuming the paper is absent at the time when it should be present, thenthe paper detector swings the strut lever into the position shown inFig. 8 and the spring :35 swings the plate I36 into the position thereshown. As the lower end of the lever 12 is swinging toward the left byits spring 87 under'the control of the cam is, the pawl Hi3 encountersthe roller I38 but by reason of the spring I49 may tip on its pivot andthus pass idly to the left side of the roller I38.

Now on thereturn stroke of the lever l2 the pawl in moving toward theright engages the roller I33 and carries it and the upper end of theplate I to the right, thus bringing the tooth It'I into position abovethe strut lever 32, and if a sheet of paper is present between the feelrollers, in position to hold the feeler finger down, the strut lever I32will be swung into its active position, so that the platen remainsrestored.

It will be seen therefore that on every cycle of operation a test ismade for the presence er absence of a sheet. The feeler and its linkage,which is normally held in idle position, is released for action by theslight turning of the plate I353 into the position of Fig. 7; then ifthe paper is absent the plate swings into the position of Fig. 8 turningthe platen down. If the paper, however, is present the plate returnsonly a slight distance until its tooth i3i abuts the upper end of thestrut lever, as shown in Fig. 9.

To prevent excess inking of the transfer blanket in case a sheet failsto be fed, I provide means whereby such failure causes the mechanism forturning the fountain roller heretofore described to be ineffective forsuch cycle of operation. I effect this in a very simple manner bylinking the pawl i? to the plate I! in a manner holding the pawl idlewhenever the platen is turned down, as shown in Fig. To accom plish thisI prefer to utilize the same link I35 which is actuated by the springI36, to turn the released platen down to idle position. I extend 10 thelink I35 beyond the guiding pin I 3'! as shown at I 39 in Figs. 3 and 7to 9. I pivot to such ex tension a link I59 which has a slot I5!extending about a pin "is on the lower end of the pawl T1,

In the normal position of the parts, with the platen up as shown inFigs. 3, 7 and 9, the link I is idle and the pawl is operated by the camand link mechanism '12, l4, l5 heretofore described, the same as if thelink E56 were absent, the pin is simply traveling idle in the slot I5Ias shown in Figs. 7 and 9. However, when the platen is turned down, byreason of the withdrawal of the latch I 32 due to the absence of paper,the link I50 assumes the position shown in Fig. 8, which brings the lefthand end of the slot I5! into position so that when the lever is rocksthe pawl carrier 75, the pin I9 engages the end of the slot I5! and canmove no further toward the left. Accordingly, as the pawl carrier swingsthe pivot of the pawl it tips the nose of the pawl to the left so thatit cannot engage the ratchet it, the pawl thus moving to the positionindicated in Fig. 8. The result is thatif during each cycle of operationa sheet is not fed between the feed rolls IflI and I82 the pawl becomesrendered inactive for such cycle of operation and no fresh ink issupplied to the ink ductor, 53 by the fountain roller 52.

The fountain roller 52 is tight on its shaft and this shaft carries aknob 552 on its end whereby the roller may be manually turned wheneverdesired to present additional ink to the ductor 53 or when initiallyplacing the machine in operation.

While any suitable gearing may be used to rotate the various rotatableparts of the machine, I will, for completeness, describe the particulargearing shown in the drawings. This is best shown in Figs. 1 and 4, asthere appears the motor It by its belt I! operates a large sheave I8(shown in dotted lines in'Fig. 'l)- which is on a shaft 63 rigidlycarrying a pinion I61. This pinion is shown as meshing with the gear 62on a stub shaft I53 carrying the pinion I58. The rinion It?! meshes witha pinion ltd, which meshes with a gear 65 on the master drum 20. p Thepinion I54 also is shown as meshing with a gear IE? on the shaft of thedistributing roll 54 of the inking system.

The Hi5 on the master drum, which a pitch circle corresponding to theperiphery of the mounted master sheet, is shown as meshing with an equalsize gear I on the offset drum. This latter gear meshes with a gear I?!on the platen shaft, and also meshes with an idler gear I72 which mesheswith a pinion I13 on a stub shaft H4 carried by the frame plate I88. Onthis shaft is a gear E15 meshing with a gear I16 on the shaft IIl of thelower feed roller :ez.

Reference is made to my pending application No. 578,288, filed February16, 1945, now matured into Patent No. 2,443,458, June 15, 1948, forclaims relating to the manually movable member adapted to transfermaterial from an absorbent reservoir to the master sheet and to myapplication No. 652,262, filed March 6, 1946, for claims relating to themeans for controlling the starting of contact between the master sheetand the offset blanket.

I claim:

in a printing machine, rotary-printing an ink'ug therefor including aform 1 the drum, a fountain roll, transfer means operating timedrelation with the drum to transfer ink from the fountain roll to theform roll, a ratchet on the fountain roll, a pawl carrier carried by theaxis of the ratchet and having a pawl to engage the ratchet, meansoperating in timed relation to the drum to oscillate the pawl carrier topropel the ratchet and turn the fountain roller, a paper detector, aplaten roll, means controlled. by said detector to shift the platen rollto an idle position consequent upon the absence of paper, linkagedirectly inter connecting said last named means with said pawl to movethe pawl to an idle position without disturbing the swinging movement ofthe pawl carrier whereby the supply of ink to the fountain roll isinterrupted without disturbing the operation of the form roll or the inktransfer means' and means to automatically restore the platen and saidpawl consequent upon the presence of paper at the detecting position.

2. In a printing machine having a frame, a rotary printing drumrotata'ply mounted in said frame, an inking system for such drumincluding an ink fountain, a fountain roll to remove ink from saidfountain, a form roll coacting with the dr m o apply in reto, means totransfer ink from the fountain roll to the form roll, driving means torotate the drum, means to operate said fountain roll and said transfermeans and said form roll in timed relation to said drum, said meansincluding a pivoted arm mounted for rotation about the axis of saidfountain roll, a ratchet 3 drivingly connected With said fountain roll,a pawl mounted on said arm and adapted to he moved into and out ofcooperative engagement with said ratchet, resilient means normallyacting to move said pawl into engagement with said ratchet, an armpivoted on said frame, a cam mounted for rotation in timed relation withsaid printing drum to swing said last named arm, a link interconnectingsaid arms, means carried by said link to actuate said transfer means, apaper detector, means controlled by said paper detector and connectedwith said first named arm to swing said arm to move said pawl away fromsaid ratchet wheel consequent upon the absence of paper in said machineand thereby i2 stop the operation of said fountain roll withoutaffecting the operation of said form roll and said transfer means.

3. In a printing machine, a rotary printing drum, an inking systemtherefor including a form roll coacting with the drum, a fountain roll,transfer means operating in timed relation with thedrum to transfer inkfrom the fountain roll to the form roll, a drive mechanism for thefountain roll, a paper detector, a platen roll, means controlled by saiddetector to shift the platen roll to an idle position consequent uponthe absence of paper, linkage directly connecting the platen shiftingmeans with the drive mechanism for the fountain roll whereby the supplyof ink to the fountain roll is interrupted without disturbing theoperation of the form roll relative to either the drum or the inktransfer means.

EDWARD J. JANKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 770,488 White Sept. 20, 19 4951,217 Parker Mar. 8, 1910 956,256 Smith Aug. 2, 1910 971,765 Main Oct.4, 1910 998,340 Hunting July 18, 1911 1,058,017 Scott Apr. 1, 19131,114,020 Niles Oct. 20, 1914 1,159,860 Niles Nov. 9, 1915 1,397,881Schmidt Nov. 22, 1921 1,647,566 Chisholm et al Nov. 1, 1927 1,683,718Gegenheimer Sept. 11, 1928 1,718,960 Fischer June 25, 1929 2,166,732Goedike Feb. 1, 1938 2,126,768 Goedike Aug. 16, 1938 2,162,812 Harrold.et al June 20, 1939 2,165,231 Curtis July 11, 1939 2,349,634 Neal May23, 1944 2,387,750 Davidson Oct. 30, 1945

